Conventionally, as a technique for washing clothes etc., a method in which clothes etc are immersed in a washing fluid and are rotatingly washed as in the case of a washing machine has been used generally. However, a technique for washing clothes etc. by utilizing ultrasonic waves has been known. As such an ultrasonic washing technique, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-325686 proposed by the applicant of this invention has been known. In this technique, after clothes etc. are put in a ultrasonic washing tank from which a washing fluid has been drawn out, the interior of the washing tank is evacuated to remove air etc. contained in clearances between fibers of the clothes etc., and thereafter ultrasonic washing is performed by introducing deaerated washing fluid into the was tank.
Also, as another ultrasonic washing technique, a technique described, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-120875 has been known. In this technique, clothes are moved in a state of being hung from an endless conveying device, and the clothes etc. are immersed in electrolytically reducing ionized water in a washing tank disposed in the movement region before washing is performed by putting out ultrasonic waves.
Further, as still another ultrasonic washing technique, a technique described, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-140479 has beet known. In this technique, a washing tank is heated properly to wash clothes etc. while sound waves of extremely low-frequency sound, middle-frequency sound band, ultrasonic waves, etc. are put out.
However, the above-described techniques have a problem in that in the case of rotational washing, intertwining or tangling of clothes etc. occurs, which requires much labor and time in arranging the clothes etc. in order, and at the same time, the clothes etc. are liable to be worn out. Also, in the case of ultrasonic washing technique as well, there is room for improvement in efficiently performing a series of work including washing in which, for example, different types of clothes or a large volume of clothes etc. are washed and thereafter arranged in order.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to prevent clothes etc. from being worn out, and to efficiently perform a series of work in which, for example, different types of clothes or a large volume of clothes etc. are washed and thereafter arranged in order.